2000
#590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 51,504
First available Census row
Per 100,000 19.09
Uncommon Last name
Allison
Derived from the given name Alison, which means "noble" or "exalted," originally from the Germanic name Adelasind.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 57,198 Americans carry the last name Allison. That puts it at #665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 16.69 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 5,992 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Allison surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Allison with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
57K
1 in 5,992
Census rank
#665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
16.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
50K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 49,879 bearers of the surname Allison in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 16.69 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Allison, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.3%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Allison
The surname Allison originated in Scotland and has its roots in the ancient Gaelic name Alasdair, a Scottish form of the name Alexander. The name Alasdair is derived from the Greek words "alexo" meaning to defend and "andros" meaning man, essentially translating to "defender of men".
In the 12th century, the name Allison emerged as an anglicized form of the Gaelic Alasdair. It was commonly found in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, particularly in the regions of Argyll, the Hebrides, and the Northern Isles.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Allison can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, a series of financial records dating back to the late 13th century. In these rolls, the name is spelled "Alysaundre" and "Alisaundre".
During the 16th century, the name Allison began to appear in various Scottish historical records and documents. One notable example is Sir Archibald Allison, a Scottish nobleman and military commander who lived from 1537 to 1594. He played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation and was a trusted advisor to Mary, Queen of Scots.
In the 17th century, the name Allison gained prominence in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. One notable figure from this period was Samuel Allison, a Scottish minister and theologian who lived from 1635 to 1705. He was known for his staunch support of the Presbyterian Church and his opposition to the policies of King Charles II.
Another notable individual with the surname Allison was Thomas Allison, a Scottish poet and playwright who lived from 1658 to 1721. He was best known for his satirical works and his criticism of the political and religious establishment of his time.
In the 18th century, the Allison surname began to spread beyond Scotland, with many bearers of the name migrating to North America and other parts of the British Empire. One prominent figure from this period was Francis Allison, a Scottish-born Presbyterian minister who lived from 1705 to 1777. He was instrumental in the establishment of several educational institutions in colonial America, including the College of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania).
As the Allison surname continued to spread, it gained recognition in various fields, including literature, science, and politics. One notable figure from the 19th century was Thomas Allison, a Scottish-American engineer and inventor who lived from 1804 to 1880. He is credited with inventing the first practical machine for manufacturing tin cans.
Overall, the surname Allison has a rich history that spans centuries and reflects the cultural and linguistic heritage of Scotland. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Gaelic name Alasdair, and it has been carried by numerous notable individuals throughout the ages, from military commanders and poets to ministers and inventors.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Allison
Among Census respondents with the surname Allison, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.3%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Allison bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Allison surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.3% · 38,572
- Black or African American13.3% · 6,618
- Two or more races4.2% · 2,097
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 1,650
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 586
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 356
Timeline
Historical Census data for Allison
Allison appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#646
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 52,701
+1,197 bearers (+2.3%)
Per 100,000 17.87
Rank movement Down 56 places
2020
#665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 49,879
-2,822 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 16.69
Rank movement Down 19 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #590 | 51,504 | 19.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #646 | 52,701 | 17.87 | +1,197 bearers (+2.3%) | Down 56 places |
| 2020 | #665 | 49,879 | 16.69 | -2,822 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 19 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Allison surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #646 | #665 | -2.9% |
| Count | 52,701 | 49,879 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 17.87 | 16.69 | -6.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Allison bearers went from 52,701 to 49,879 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 19 positions in the national ranking, going from #646 to #665.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Allison
FAQ
Allison surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Allison?
Name Census estimates that about 57,198 living Americans carry the surname Allison. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 5,992 residents.
How common is Allison?
Allison ranks #665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 16.69 per 100,000 residents, which is about 17 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 49,879 people with the surname Allison. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (57,198), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 16.69 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 16.69 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 17 of them to have the surname Allison.
Has Allison become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Allison went from 52,701 recorded bearers to 49,879. That is a decrease of 2,822 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #646 to #665.
What does the Census say about the background of Allison?
Among Census respondents with the surname Allison, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.3%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Allison in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.3% (38,572 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Allison appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.3%), Black (13.3%), Two or More Races (4.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Allison (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Allison mean?
Derived from the given name Alison, which means "noble" or "exalted," originally from the Germanic name Adelasind. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Allison (16.69 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Allison?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.